Pneumatic clutch control.



R. W. WELTY.

PNEUMATIG CLUTCH UONTROL.

APPLIGATION FILED' 00T. s. 1913.

A Hw@ Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

f 11111111.-l1r1111111'111g rlllllllglxlg/f a specification'.

"aisance,

PNEUMATG CLUTCH CONTlElL.

T0 all whorpt may Gomera# e Be itl. kno. n that 1, Rurns W. Wninr, a citizen of the United Stews, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of Californimhave invented new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic 'Clutch Controls, 'of which the following is This inventi cles, the object ofv the invention being to produce simple and reliable mechanism controlled by air pressure for throwing out and releasing f the clutch which forms the connecting link between the shaft of the engine and the drive shaft of the machine, requiring very little exertion onthe part of the operator.

A further object of the invention is `to retain the ordinary mechanical means for operating the clutch 'so that the pneumatic controlling means may be used in connection .therewith thus enabling the mechanical device to be used in an emergency or in case the' pneumatic control should get out of order for any reason.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will hereinafter be more fully described, illustratedand claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 i is a view in side elevation of a sufficient portion of an automobile adjacent to the clutch and engine to illustrate the manner in. which the present invention is carried out.

Fig. 2 is a detail longitudinal section of the three-way valve. Fig. 3 isa detail cross section through the same on the line 3-3 'of Fig. 2. i

Referring to the drawings 1 designates one of the cylinders of an automobile engine, 2 the fly-wheel fast on the engine shaft, 3 the driving shaft of the machine, 4 the usual clutch which coperates withthe rim of the fly-wheel 2, and 5 the clutch operating lever which isused to press the clutch 4 away from the fly-wheel 2, it being understood that the clutch 4 is held in engagement with the iy-wheell by means of one or more expansion springs. .j

1n carrying out the present invention li employ a compressed air cylinder 6 to which air is led from one of the cylinders 1 by means of a pipe 7, the exhaust gas Vunder RUFUS W. OF SAN FRANCISCO, CIJFORNIA.

1 speiacation bf Letters Patent.'

- onrelates to pneumatic clutch controlled mechanism for automobiles, m0-

therefrom to theatmo'sphere,' .tortrucks and other motor propelled vehipressure leaving the cylinder 1 andpassin through said pipe 7 into the tank 6 in'whic it is stored under pressure. Located in the pipe between the engine and the tank 6 is a combined safety and regulating valve 8 rammen naar. aa. inra. 'applicaties siga october a, i913. seriai iig. 793,244.

which operates torelieve excessive pressure and when the tank 6 becomes charged to its limit, the safety valve 8 opens automatically to allow excess pressure to pass outward 9 designates a three-way valve casing extending from'which isa receiving'fpipeilO 'which is flexible for a purpsehereinafter described, said flexible pipe 10 beingv connected to another pipe 11 leading outfrom the pressure tank 6, the pipes 1 0'and 11, serving to carry the pressure from the tank 6 tothe three-way valve casing 9. Another pipe leads from'the three-way valve casing 9'to a cylinder 12, said pipe comprising a flexible section 13 and a, et cir section 14 which maybe of metal. lf it inthe cylin-` der 12 is a piston, the rod 15 of which is con- 'Y nected pivotally to 'the clutch lever at 16. 17 designates another iexible return pipe leading from the cylinder 12 back tothe threeway valve 9.

18 designates a rocking pedal which is pivotally connected at 19 to the -main clutch operating member 20 which is slidingly supported on the machine frame and pivotally connected at 21 to the clutch lever 5 for the purpose of operatingv the latter by foot power alone. The valve casing 9 is fastened to and carried by the member 20. Extending from the lower end of the pedal 18 is a rod 22 which connects with a short arm 23 on the stem 24 of the three-Way valve body contained in the valve casing 9 thus enabling said valve to be operated by rocking' the pedal 18'.

From the foregoing description it will lfurther supply of pressure to the tank 6 and allowing the compressed air to escape from said cylinder through the return pipe 1'? and three-way valve to the atmosphere. Should the pneumatic control get out of orderfor any reason, the flexible pipes forming part of the pneumatic control, permit the pedal 18 to be thrust forward to mechanically operate the clutch lever and admit of the throwing out and throvx ing in of thel clutch in the same manner in which said operation is now carried out in automobiles ofthe presentday.

`2,5 and 26 designate stops for limiting thel rocking movement of the pedal 18 in opposite directions. v v The valve bodyy indicated Tat 27 is prof vided 'withl two/passages 28`and 25J-extending: therethrough and arranged at fdi lerent A from" the v The,ff'mechanism may also; be 'used -f for points'in the'length 'of the 'bodyand one ofl said passages .taking care of the airpassing der and the other passage taking eareof the -air releasedI from the'cylind'er to the atmospherel by Jmeafns v of the ,pipe connections above-referred to. l l' l y hereinabove described of an automobile:orfsimiflarvehicle. What/I claim isty l; Pneumatic clutch propelled vehicles,`comprising aclutch operating lever, a rocking pedal, a clutch lever solas compressed air tank to the cylinoperating` the brakes control for f Ijiiiotor i Lisaaoe operatingfelement interposed between and connecting said pedal and clutch lever, a compressed air cylinder and piston for operatingsaid lever, a pressure tank, a threeway valve-carried by said clutch lever operating element and adapted to be operated by said pedal, and air connections between said valve and the tank and cylinder,

2. Pneumatic clutch control for motor 'propelled vehicles, comprising a clutch operatlng lever, a compressed air cylinder and piston for operatin said lever, a pressure tank, a three-way va ve, a pipe leading from said tank to said valve, a pipe leading from said valve to said c linder, a return pipe vleading from the cy inder to said valve, a rocking pedal operatively connected with said valve, all of said pipes having flexible sections, and a clutch lever operating element interposed between and connecting saidpedal and clutch lever.

` In testimony whereof I affix in presence of two witnesses.

l RUFUS 'W. WELTY.

my signature i Witnesses:

MATTIEG. STIRLING, ANNA Commits. 

